Traffic control device



May 29, 1934. L. A. GILMAN TRAFFIC CONIIROLDEVICE Filed Nov. 3, 1952 2 "Qheets-Sheet l 7 I Inventor Gttornegs -May 29, 1934. L. A. GILMAN 1,960,376

' TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE Filed Nov. :5, 1932 2 She'et s-Shget 2 703A. Zhwentor .5

' Gttornegs.

Patented May 29, 1934 -con'rnor. :nnvrcr.

Lyle .A. Gilman, Sedan, Kans. Application November 3,1932, Serial Nb. 641,077

13 Claim.

This invention relates to a device for controlling traflic, one of the objects being 'to provide a shutter-like structure adapted to be placed in the roadway along the line of trafiic where it will normally act as a partial bar to traflic moving in the-wrong direction but will shift or fold out of the way when approached by vehicles moving in the proper direction.

Another object is toprovide a simple, durable and compact structure which can be installed readily and can be placed in any desired position in a roadway for the purpose of directing trafiic.

A still further object is :to provide a device of 1 this character which can be utilized for counting vehicles traveling in one direction.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the combination and ar- 90 rangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a street intersection showing the device placed for controlling oneway trafllc.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the device, portions being broken away.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the slats in lowered positions.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5--5, Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the bearing strips of the slats.

- 4 are secured on thesides 3 and have spaced recesses 5.

Supported between the sides 3 are parallel slots 6 having trunnions 'l which bear in the recesses 5. A connecting bar 8 extends under the slats and is hingedly connected to one edge of each of them, asfshown at 9. One end of the bar is extended loosely in a recess or opening 10 in the end member 2 and a spring 11 connects said bar to the other end member 1. This spring "5 is constantly under tension and pulls on the bar REISSUED so as to hold it normally pressed against member 1 with the slats elevated as in Figure 3.

The frame formed by members .1, 2 and 3 is adapted to be placed substantially flush with the level of a roadway R. and over a pit P suitably drained. The slats are inclined upwardly in a direction opposed to wrong traflic so that should it be approached by a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction, the wheels will come against the elevated edges of the slats and can be driven thereover only with discomfort to the driverwho thus receives notice of his error.

A vehicle traveling in the proper direction, as indicated at W in Figures 3 and 4, will press the slots downwardly against the action of the spring 11 so that they will lie flat. I

A counter '12 can be located under the device and connected by a rod 13 to bar 8 so that asthe slats are lowered by passing vehicles, said vehicles will be counted. '15

Obviously the device can be placed in any location where the control of traflic is desired and it will be found to be very efficient in use.

What is claimed is: r

1. A trafiic control device including an open top structure adapted to be embedded substantially flush with the surface of a road, a plurality of transverse pivotally supported slats in the 'structure, a connection between the slats operated by pressure in one direction against one of the slatsfor swinging all of the slats in the same direction into a common plane tosubstantially close the open top of the structure, yieldablemeans for automatically swinging all of the slats'into parallel upwardly inclined positions when relieved of said pressure, and means cooperating with said connection for preventing the upwardly inclined slats from swinging to closed position when subjected to pressure in the opposite direction.

2. A traflic control deviceincluding an open top structure adapted to be embedded substantially fiu'sh with the surface of a road, a plurality of transverse pivotally supported slats in the structure, a connection between the slats operated by pressure in one direction against one of the slats for swinging all of the slats in the same direction into a common plane to substantially close the open top of the structure, yieldable means for automatically swinging all of the slats 105 into parallel upwardly inclined positions when relieved of said pressure, means cooperating with said connection for preventing the upwardly in-" clined slats from swinging to closed position when subjected to pressure in the opposite direction 1 and a counter operatively connected to and actuated by the closing of the slats.

3. A traffic control device including a structure having an open top adapted to be embedded substantially flush with the surface of a road, parallel slats pivotally mounted in said structure and extening across the open top, a bar pivotally connected to all of the slats for transmitting motion thereto from any one of the slats, yieldable means for holding the slats normally inclined up- 

